HOUSTON – Twelve people were arrested Friday in a prostitution sting, according to the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office.
Officials said the overnight sting targeted "female prostitutes who advertise themselves online as escorts and men who respond to the ads." Precinct 1 said the Houston Police Department and Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office assisted with the sting.
Recommended Videos
Investigators said deputies posed as prostitutes and customers at a hotel on South Main Street in southwest Houston. Ten of the people arrested were charged with prostitution. The other two face weapons charges
"Advertisements on the Internet for so-called escort services often turn out to be fronts not only for prostitution but also nests of related illegal activity such as sex trafficking, drug trafficking and aggravated robbery. If for no other reason, the public should know that these interdiction operations will continue as a way to punish and/or deter several types of crime," Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen said.
Andrea Benitez, 22, is charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon.